Indian air force helicopter crashes, killing 2 crewmembers

GAUHATI, India – Indian police say an air force helicopter has crashed in the remote northeast, killing both crewmembers on board.

Police officer Mukesh Aggarwal says the crash occurred Thursday while the helicopter was flying to Majoli island from Gauhati, the Assam state capital.

He said the burned wreckage was spotted on a river bank.

There were no other people on board. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

In recent years the Indian air force has suffered a series of crashes of helicopters and MiG aircraft acquired from the former Soviet Union. The government says the accidents were caused by both human error and mechanical problems.